Various types of spring-return actuators are known in the art. They generally comprise a piston seated in a load chamber and a set of springs in a safety chamber. A pilot valve introduces a fluid, such as a gas or liquid, under pressure into the load chamber to generate a force that moves the piston in the load chamber, and to simultaneously compress the springs in the safety chamber. Under normal operation a pilot valve releases fluid from the load chamber so that the return spring is released and generates force that returns the load piston back to its safe position. The return spring automatically releases to return the load piston back to its safe position in the event of a loss of fluid operating pressure. The initial, safe position of the actuator piston is generally a position for which a load coupled to the piston is considered to be in a corresponding initial, “benign”, position of the load. A coupling element, such as a piston rod, or a rack of a rack and pinion transmission, couples motion of the piston in the load chamber to a load to apply force to and thereby control motion of the load.